Mark Hammond
Mark Hammond is a character in The Getaway series who acts as the main protagonist in ''The Getaway''. Mark is an ex-con and former member of the Collins gang. In 1997, Mark was jailed for armed robbery and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released in 2002 and vowed to go straight and settle down with his wife, Suzie Hammond, who had given up singing to be with him, and his son, Alex Hammond. Unfortunately for Mark, his wife was killed and his son was kidnapped by the Bethnal Green Mob. Mark was framed for killing his wife as he picked up the gun that was used to kill her. He chased after the Bethnal Green Mob and arrived at a warehouse owned by the infamous Charlie Jolson, the head of the Bethnal Green Mob. Charlie blackmailed Mark into doing his dirty work all over London, if Mark refused then Charlie would have Alex killed. With no other option but to obey Jolson's demands, Mark became a fugitive and was soon dragged into the criminal underworld that he had vowed to leave forever. Character Description The Fugitive A former member of the Soho-based Collins Gang, Mark Hammond is now on the run for the suspected murder of his wife Susie. Desperate not to be captured so he can free his kidnapped child, Mark is trying recklessly to maintain his sanity and freedom. Biography Early life and family Mark Hammond was born in London, England in 1967. He decided to lead a life of crime and worked for the Bethnal Green Mob for a period of time. He later defected to Nick Collins gang and became more involved in the criminal lifestyle. Mark preferred working for the Collins gang because they had views similar to his own and were more modern than the Bethnal. During his time in the gang, Mark became good friends with another member of the gang called Liam Spencer. In 1993, Mark met a singer called Suzie and two fell in love. They got married in late 1993 and Suzie gave up singing in order to be with him as they planned to have a child together. The following year in 1994, the two of them had a son called Alex. Despite now being a father, Mark continued to work for the Collins gang and carried on his life of crime. He slowly worked his way up through the rankings and got more involved in the gang. He did however make time for his wife and son whenever he could. Imprisonment In 1997, Mark was arrested by the corrupt head of the Flying Squad, Clive McCormack. He was arrested for an armed robbery and was sentenced to five years in prison. Mark wasn't released from prison until 2002 and had only been out for two months before being dragged back into his former life of crime. In 2002, he was released from prison after completing his five year sentence for armed robbery. He decided to leave behind his life of crime and settled down with his wife Suzie and son Alex. Mark went onto run a nightclub in London. Events of The Getaway One morning, two months after his release, things took a turn for the worst. Suzie who was walking Alex to school was confronted by gang members from the Bethnal Green Mob. The members were Harry, Grievous and a hitwoman called Yasmin. After a brief struggle, Suzie was shot by Harry and Alex was dragged into a car driven by another gang member called Eyebrows. Mark came rushing out of his apartment but was too late. He accidentally incriminated himself by touching the dropped murder weapon. A dying Suzie pleaded Mark to get their boy back, then dies on the pavement in Mark's arms. A passer-by saw this and screamed, thinking that Mark had killed Suzie. Instead of staying to help, Mark drove off and chased the gang car. Leaving the weapon behind at the scene and running off made the police believe that Mark was the culprit. Mark found the gang vehicle at a warehouse. Inside, he found his son in the hands of Charlie Jolson, the notorious boss of the Bethnal Green Mob. Before Mark could act, his was knocked out and dragged into a chair. Jolson gave Mark a proposition. Mark needed to work for Jolson and do everything he said or his son would die. The jobs that Charlie had Mark do for him were: burning down a bar in Soho, called The Republic, which was operated by Mark's old gang, the Collins gang, breaking into an art gallery in Hyde Park, called the Reptilian Gallery, run by the Triads, to steal a statue filled with heroin, breaking out Charlie's nephew, Jake Jolson, from a police convoy, dropping off a dead Triad in Chinatown, outside a restaurant named the Siu Fung in order to start a turf war between the Triads and the Yardies, attacking a police station, called Snow Hill, to assassinate the corrupt police officer McCormack, picking up a girl who Charlie liked from a Collins bar, Touch of Class, and stealing £300,000 of drug money from the Yardies at a crackhouse. These actions angered the other gangs in London who wanted Mark dead and also drew police attention to him. In addition, the public believed that Mark went psycho by murdering his wife, kidnapping his son and then going on a crazy rampage through London. During his missions, Mark asked his former Collins gang comrade Liam Spencer to help him. Liam was initially annoyed at Mark because his attacked his old gang, but understood Jolson's control over him, so he agreed to help. After Mark killed the corrupt Clive McCormack, whom he had a grudge against, he met Yasmin who was involved in kidnapping his son. Yasmin knew where they are keeping Alex and understood that Mark would not have much luck in finding his son himself, so she requested that Mark would spare her to allow her to help him. Mark agreed, and the two worked hard to find Alex. However, Jake Jolson, who had a strong hatred of Mark, tried to double-cross him. During a shootout at Charlie's depot, just after Mark had completed his last mission for Charlie, Mark killed Jake's friend Sparky. Jake and Eyebrows however managed to knock Mark out. Jake tried to kill Mark, but was stopped by Charlie. Mark and Yasmin, the latter being caught in Charlie's mansion, were locked in the basement of Charlie's warehouse. Charlie Jolson phoned the other gang leaders and agreed to hand Mark over to them. After Charlie left with Harry and Jake, Mark and Yasmin sat in their cell feeling sorry for themselves. Luckily for them, Frank Carter, a DC of the Flying Squad, had overheard Charlie's plan and offered to break out Mark and Yasmin as long as they agreed to work for him. Mark agreed but Yasmin did not trust Frank, believing that he was no better than Charlie Jolson. However, Frank broke them out and Mark and Yasmin drove over to Charlie's mansion to find Alex. Unfortunately, they were too late as Mark saw Harry driving off with Alex. Mark decided to phone Frank who explained that he was at the depot and was going to follow Jake to the Sol Vita, an old cargo ship which Charlie wanted blown up along with all of the other gang leaders on board. Mark and Yasmin drove off to the Sol Vita to rescue Alex and kill the Jolson's. Once they arrived, all the gangs were fighting each other on the ship. Mark fought his way through them and headed downstairs where he confronted Harry. They fought each other resulting in Mark killing Harry, avenging Suzie's murder. Mark eventually found Alex in the room where Charlie's bomb was. Yasmin was there also, having killed Eyebrows, and she also wanted to leave along with Mark and Alex. They were stopped by Frank, having just killed Jake, who wanted Charlie Jolson dead as well. Just then, Nick Collins arrived with Liam who was holding a gun at Charlie's head. Nick ordered Frank and Mark to drop their weapons. The Triads, led by Shan Chu Lee and the Yardies, led by Jamahl, appeared and the three crime bosses wanted to kill Mark for ruining their businesses. Yasmin intervened which allowed for Mark to explain what had happened. The gangs understood and decided to spare Mark on the condition that he left London and never returned. Mark tried to get them to free Frank but they refused because they didn't want a cop knowing about their business. The final scene showed Mark, Yasmin and Alex walking free from the ship just as it exploded. The scene ends with them looking at each other, concerned about what just happened. Aftermath After escaping from the Sol Vita it is unknown what happened to Mark Hammond. There are several possibilities: *It has been suggested that Alex Hammond may have been killed after the Sol Vita exploded. If this is the case, Mark may have been killed also, or took his own life after his son's death. *If Alex survived, it is possible that Mark left London along with Yasmin and Alex. If this is the case, it is likely that they either moved to a quiet part of the country or even left the UK since Mark was so highly wanted. *It is possible Frank Carter may have been able to clear Mark's name, although this is unlikely due to the amount of deaths Mark had been responsible for, some of which had been police officers. *It may even be possible that Mark Hammond was jailed for life for killing so many people. Relationship with Yasmin Mark meets Yasmin for the first time properly in the mission, Filthy Business. At first, he isn't sure about killing an unarmed woman, but after she reveals to him that she was present during the kidnapping of his son, he thanks her for making it easy for him to kill her. However, he changes his mind after she reveals that she can help him find his son, as she knows where he is being held captive. Mark agrees to help her as long as she helps him, and the two become partners. Yasmin helps him escape the station, shouting instructions on what to do. She also assists in the assault on the Collins gang club, Touch of Class. She comes up with an idea on how to kill Charlie after Layla dies. Mark is reunited with her in Charlie's basement and Charlie comments on how Yasmin "has lost her touch, and has her mind on other things". He could be indicating that Yasmin has feelings for Mark. The two of them share stories during their time in the basement cell of how each of them have messed up. When Frank arrives to free them, Yasmin warns Mark about how Frank isn't any better than Charlie. After they are broken free and have worked together to break into Charlie's Mansion, Yasmin comforts Mark once again, asking him what they're going to do now that Charlie has taken off with Alex. The two of them drive over to the Sol Vita. The conversations they have during this journey are interesting in that Mark thanks Yasmin for all of her help and claims she isn't the "bitch" she makes herself out to be. Yasmin however claims he doesn't owe her and that they both have their own interests on that ship, implying she is doing it for herself instead of him. Once on board the ship, they go their seperate ways as Yasmin says she's got to get Charlie before anyone else does. Yasmin gets inside the cargo hold of the ship and finds Alex before Mark does. She begins untying him as Mark arrives. When Frank arrives, he moans at the fact that no one has seen Charlie and that they need to find him. Yasmin however, doesn't seem bothered, and points out that they're all still alive, Mark has found his kid, so they should just leave. This implies that perhaps she was helping Mark all along due to her feelings for him and that she had no interest in ever killing Charlie, but just wanted to help Mark find his son. In the finale of the game, Mark tells Nick to let her and Alex go instead of him. This indicates he would have trusted Yasmin to look after Alex had he been killed. The gangs however do agree to let Mark, Yasmin and Alex go providing they leave London for good. Yasmin says goodbye to Charlie and even pushes Mark out of the room when he tries to persuade Nick to let Frank go. In the final shot, the three of them are seen walking off the boat together, with Alex even holding Yasmin's hand as they walk off the boat just as it explodes. Personality Although once a criminal, Mark vowed to leave behind his life of crime when he was released from prison. Mark is devoted to his family and is devastated when his wife is killed and his son kidnapped. Mark is forced to carry out violent and criminal acts for the sake of his son's life. It is due to Mark's devotion to his son that he agreed to carry out the crimes that Charlie Jolson made him do. Although Mark showed remorse at having to shoot his former friends like the Collins Gang, some of his killings were in vengeance e.g. McCormack and Harry. Mark has a sarcastic side to him. This is evident when Harry was giving him instructions on how to kill McCormack. His violent behaviour led some people to believe he was a psycho, but he was nowhere near as crazy as his enemy Jake Jolson, who enjoyed killing people. Murders Committed by Mark Hammond *Clive McCormack - Killed in "Filthy Business" under orders from Charlie Jolson for turning on the Bethnal Green Mob. Also an old enemy of Mark Hammond. *Sparky - Killed in "A Cat in a Bag" because Mark turned on the Bethnal after knowing they wouldn't give him back his son. *Harry - Killed in "Aboard the Sol Vita" for trying to stop Mark from rescuing his son and in retribution for having murdered his wife earlier. He is also the archenemy of Mark Hammond. Optional: *Republic Bartender - Killed in "Burning Bridges" for being in the bar during Mark's assignment to burn down Collins' restaurant. *Telephone Repairman - Killed in "Filthy Business" under orders from Harry to stop the real telephone van from reaching Snow Hill Police Station. *Smithers - Killed in "Filthy Business" for trying to stop Mark from assassinating Clive McCormack. Mission Appearances * The Frightener * Burning Bridges * Art Appreciation * Aiding and Abetting * Taxi for Mr Chai? * Out of the Frying Pan * Filthy Business * A Touch of Class * The Cowgirl and the Cash * A Cat in a Bag * The Prodigal Son * Aboard the Sol Vita * Escort Duty (cutscene only) * Meet Mark Hammond * Showdown with Jake (cutscene only) * Land of Hope and Glory (cutscene only) Quotes * "Where's my son, you fat bastard?" - Mark to Charlie in The Frightener. * "I'll do you an injury, Charlie! I fuckin' swear I'll kill you for this!" - Mark threatening Charlie in The Frightener. * "You better kill me now, Charlie I'm telling you... ..cos if you don't... I'll get you for this I swear!" - Mark threatening Charlie in The Frightener. * "You're off your fuckin' rocker, Charlie. That's my old turf! They're friends of mine." - Mark resents Charlie for sending him to kill his old friends in Burning Bridges. * "I hurt people, old friends of mine. That ain't enough for you, is it? You got some serious fuckin' nerve." - Mark angrily rants at Charlie in Art Appreciation. * "Oi, psycho, every cop in London'll be here in a minute! Can we do this later?" - Mark begs for Jake to get in the car before the cops arrive in Aiding and Abetting. * "You're a fuckin' genius, Jake." - Mark sarcastically mocks Jake in Taxi for Mr Chai?. * "This is a joke, right? You want me to drive clear across London with this thing sitting next to me?" - Mark rants to Jake and Grievous about Jake's ridiculous plan of transporting Johnny Chai's corpse across London in Taxi for Mr Chai?. * "It's time to meet the relatives, Johnny Chai." - Mark to Johnny's corpse as he pushes him out the car and prepares to escape the Triads in Out of the Frying Pan. * "So, how the fuck do I do that? Shall I just waltz into Snow Hill, waving my hands around?" - Mark mocks Harry's plan for assassinating McCormack in Filthy Business. * "When's this gonna end, Harry? This is getting past the point of ridiculous. I'll never get in and out of there in one piece. I'd be better off blowin' the whistle and taking my chances. Maybe Jamahl and his Yardie-boys would like to know what's going on as well ay?" - Mark contemplates to Harry about betraying Charlie and taking his chances in A Touch of Class. * "I'm not worried about scores, Yasmin. I'll worry about scores when my boy's safe, all right?" - Mark explains the deal with Charlie and him to Yasmin in A Touch of Class. * "I don't know. I'm really up shit creek now. What's Charlie gonna do when I don't show with this slag?" - Mark panics to Yasmin about the death of Layla in The Cowgirl and the Cash. * "No. I'm going to do it. What's one more suicide mission?" - Mark tells Yasmin he'll do Charlie's last job for himself in The Cowgirl and the Cash. * "No, I didn't. It would be too much to expect any honour from the Jolsons. Honour amongst thieves, maybe, maggots, never." - Mark mocks Jake as he prepares to betray Charlie in A Cat in a Bag. * "Get on with it, Jolson. You've always been a drama queen. Why haven't you just clipped us?" - Mark mocks Charlie and requests he just kill him in The Prodigal Son. * "So what, copper? Don't tell me your troubles. Every cop, every villain in London wants me dead and I've gotta get my boy." - Mark gives Frank his honest opinion in Aboard the Sol Vita. * "He played us all like a game of chess... ..sending me against you and then watching you take chunks out of each other, while he sat back and smoked his fat fuckin' cigar." - Mark on Charlie and his scheme in Aboard the Sol Vita. Trivia * In The Getaway: Black Monday, the orange bin lorries and garbage trucks found in both the Shoreditch area and the South-East area around Borough, on the London map, have a little doll of Mark Hammond under the passenger side windscreen wiper. * In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, there is a character named after Mark Hammond called Marcus Hammond. He was a target to be assassinated by the games protagonist Tommy Vercetti. * It is thought that Mark left the Bethnal Green Mob, because he did not agree with their racist views. Proof of this is his friendship with Liam Spencer. * Whenever Mark Hammond kills someone, he will either say "Have some of that!" or "How you feelin' now?". * On an Interesting note, Don Kembry provides the voice and face for the character Albert Hammond in the game L.A. Noire, who is a boxer, since Team Bondi who made L.A. Noire comprise of some of the people who created The Getaway, it is an obvious nod to the series. * Mark Hammond said that he left the criminal life when he was released from prison. However, he does have a gun on him at the start of the game, it is possible he keeps it for self defense as he may have suspected that someone might try to get even with him. Category:Characters in The Getaway Category:Protagonists Category:Gangsters Category:Murderers Category:Collins Gang Category:Bethnal Green Mob Category:Status: Unknown